Azar

Original title: آذر

Directed by Mohammad Hamzei

A non-traditional wife and mother, Azar (Karimi) is first seen racing her dirt bike over a hilly track while her husband Amir (Azarang) and young daughter cheer her on. Co-equal with her liberal-minded husband in marriage and in their fledgling business venture, a café with a thriving carryout trade, she is forced to meet an unequal challenge in which the strict pecking order of a family dominated by misogynist uncle, a business loan with strings attached, a black sheep son with a hidden agenda, and a tragic accident add up to a scenario in which Azar is targeted as the unwilling sacrificial victim. (Gene Siskel Film Center)